One of my happiest memories was being released from federal prison after serving 23 years for bank robbery.
At a halfway house, my daughter, Stephanie Ann, found me, a beautiful woman in her 20’s. The last time I saw her, she was 4. I could say I was a tough guy and didn’t shed a tear, but that wouldn’t be true. It was one of the happiest days of my life.
For 3 years we cooked, talked, watched movies, went places, and made up for lost time. Steph said, “Dad, let’s spend New Year’s Eve watching the fireworks at Navy Pier.” I said yes. We went downtown Chicago, saw the Daley Plaza tree, the State Street displays, and the Navy Pier fireworks. It was the coldest New Year’s Eve in Chicago’s history. Even the beer cans in our pockets froze solid. We didn’t get to toast in the new year, but I got to hug my little girl and wish her a happy new year. That memory still brings a smile to my face, even on my darkest days.
Now I am serving a long state sentence, but my daughter has not given up on me. She has blessed me with a bunch of grandbabies to smile about, and our phone calls are what keep me going. My sad memories are the ones I never got to make with Steph, my sons Bill, Mark, and Steve, and my grandbabies I don’t get to see. Take it from an old gray beard: don’t waste your life doing all the crazy things we do. Make memories with those you love and hold them close every single day.
I have been a career criminal my whole life. I have served over 40 years in federal and state prison. I am not proud of the things I have done. In the 80s I robbed banks and felt on top of the world. I had four amazing kids, but the thrill of money and the life of crime pulled me away. Even serving 73 years in federal prison didn’t wise me up. When I got out, I went right back into the game. Now I realize I might never get another chance to get out again.
I have wised up.
I was a terrible father and grandfather. It weighs on me every day, and I try to make amends. Now I write, have had books published, and mentor younger prisoners. I teach in the Odinist community, focusing on walking with honor and making the world a better place. I have wised up too late, but I will use every minute I have to make amends and strengthen the connections I still have.
